Project Assistant – PHAST (01 positions)
Position Type: Full-Time
Availability: 1st August, 2020
Duty Station: Bidibidi Settlement, Yumbe District
Contract: 23 months (renewable upon funding and performance)
Degree Required: Bachelor’s
Background
ACORD-U (Agency for Cooperation in Research and Development – Uganda) is an indigenous NonGovernmental Organization (NGO) working for social justice and development. ACORD has been working in Uganda since 1979 with operations in over 25 districts across Uganda. The ACORD-U works in conjunction with people who have been denied their basic rights, helping to better understand, to challenge, and to change the situation in which they find themselves. ACORD-U, a Non‐Governmental Organization is one (01) qualified candidate for the post of Project Assistant-PHAST in its newly awarded Partnership for “Improving Sustainable WASH services and schools for South Sudanese Refugees in Bidibidi settlement”. This project is funded by Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium and HEKS-EPER through HEKS-EPER Uganda Country Office- for 24 months.
This project aims at improving sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services among 31,448 school children from four schools and communities members – 21,055 South Sudanese refugees and 10,393 host community members in Zone 4 and Zone 5 in Bidibidi Settlement by June 2022.
Position Summary:
This position is central to the implementation of sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services. The incumbent will be required to participate in the daily implementation of the PHAST component of the project, providing an insight into cultural sensitivity and thoroughness of communication to the beneficiary communities, as well as assisting to see that the activities are implemented in an all-inclusive, timely and participatory manner. .

Duties & Responsibilities:
• Identify communities benefiting from the project
• Establish first contact with target communities
• Provide PHAST sessions to targeted community.
• Facilitate sessions with communities in realizing the negative hygienic and sanitary behaviors replaced with positive ones
• Contact and explain the activities and objective of the project to stakeholders and target populations.
• Inform and coordinate local authorities about all aspects of the project
• Mobilize communities to contribute in the implementation of the project.
• Work in collaboration with the stakeholders.
• Walk throughout the village and interact with all community members facilitating a rapid change in their attitude towards good hygiene and sanitation practices and behaviour.
• Effective use of IEC materials in the target villages and their follow up
• Conduct community hygiene awareness and sanitary sessions for the target communities.
• Provide technical advice to the villagers in building sanitary latrine
• Assist village Community Hygiene Promoters to record day to day progress made by villagers in their village and report to his/her supervisor
• Establish mutual and good relationship with the Community structures and other influential leaders of the target villages
• Provide supervisor with success stories and photos from special occasions and progresses
• Reporting on regular basis to the supervisor

Required qualifications and competencies:
• A Bachelors’ Degree in Arts, Community Development, Health Sciences, Communications, Environmental health, Public Health, Social Science or related field.
• Knowledge of and experience in the methodology of Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) and Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS).
• Proven skills in computer programs (Word, Excel; minimum)
• At least 3 years of practical experience as a community mobilizer.
• Experience in WASH programs in rural areas.
• Understanding of the impact of gender status and relationships on WASH and health practices
• Knowledge and/or experience in participatory community approaches and techniques.
• Outgoing personality with excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Prepared to spend longer time periods in the field.
• Team player
• Possession of a valid riding permit and knowledge of road rules.
• Knowledge of the local language will be an added advantage